Turner Africa's Cartoon Network adds a series of localised shorts, Pop Up Party; says Cartoon Network will be producing more local-inspired shows.

Urban Brew Studios has produced new localised African TV content for Turner Broadcasting in Africa's Cartoon Network (DStv 301) on MultiChoice's DStv in the form of a shorts series, Pop Up Party.

Pop Up Party can be seen since July on the Cartoon Network, following a young crew of local dancers as they "pop up" in various locations to dance.

The aim of Pop Up Party is to "entertain and expose all Africans to Cartoon Network's amazing world of kids entertainment with this fresh localised series of shorts," says Pierre Branco, the vice president and managing director of Turner Africa.

"Turner is proud of our audience on the African continent and to show our commitment to Africa, Cartoon Network will be producing more local-inspired shows, using some of Africa's best and most inspiring talents," says Pierre Branco.

Cecilia Persson promoted at Turner Broadcasting to vice president of programming and content strategy of kids for the EMEA region.

Cecilia Persson has been promoted at Turner Broadcasting to vice president of programming and content strategy of kids for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, acquisitions and co-production international.

Cecilia Persson keeps her existing acquisitions and co-production international role.

She will now manage and lead programming strategy for digital platforms and kids' linear channels like Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and Boomerang (DStv 302) available on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, as well Toonami added last month to other operators.

Cecilia Persson, who joined Turner in 2004, will now work to combine Turner Broadcasting's programming and acquisition teams and will report directly to Patricia Hidalgo, chief content and creative officer of kids EMEA and kids' strategy international.

"Cecilia has been an integral component of our growth, with abilities to acquire the best programming to complement our homegrown slate across the portfolio," says Patricia Hidalgo. "This is natural progression for her and a testament to us strengthening and aligning our programming strategy globally".

Pop-up kids channel, Hoolee, from Turner Broadcasting coming in December to DStv Premium subscribers for two months with movies, animated shows.

MultiChoice's next pop-up channel will be the kids channel HOOLEE from Turner Broadcasting System International that will run from the beginning of December 2015 to the end of January 2016 on DStv.

HOOLEE follows after M-Net and Disney's current Star Wars channel on channel 109 on DStv.

Turner already provides kids channels like Cartoon Network (DStv 301) and Boomerang (DStv 302) to DStv.

Turner Africa announced that HOOLEE will become Africa's first pop-up channel on DStv at the MultiChoice Content Showcase held this past week at the Outrigger Mauritius Resort & Spa in Mauritius.

MultiChoice announced that it will be doing 4 pop-up channels in 2016 for DStv subscribers and that the Star Wars pop-up channel from M-Net Movies is an experiment.

South African press and TV critics were not invited, nor told beforehand of the MultiChoice Content Showcase. Turner Africa didn't share the announcement and news of HOOLEE with South African press after it was made in Mauritius.

Turner Broadcasting says it and DStv will be making "African television history" when families all over the African continent, including South Africa, will be able to watch HOOLEE as "a first of its kind Africa pop-up children's channel".

HOOLEE will be for DStv Premium subscribers and the schedule will include "carefully chosen movies and animated shows" created from a selection of programming from Turner Broadcasting and Warner Brothers productions, as well as exclusive acquisitions.

HOOLEE will run on DStv for 8 weeks, from the beginning of December until  the end of January 2016.

"Imagine laughing, sharing surprising adventures and celebrating the summer holidays with your children every day, is the promise of the channel," says Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice Africa CEO.

"HOOLEE will offer to the whole family programmes that they have always enjoyed, as well as new and refreshing, exclusive shows and movies. The range of programming is truly amazing," says Pierre Branco, vice president and managing director of Turner Africa.

BREAKING. Boomerang on DStv relaunching globally as an animation TV channel for families and kids; will change in South Africa early 2015.

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) is relaunching Boomerang (DStv 302) , ione of its animation TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv, with a new logo and a bigger focus on family viewing.

Boomerang is Turner's animation kids channel which didn't experience an embarrassing black out this past Saturday on MultiChoice's DStv like its other kids channel, Cartoon Network which both Turner Broadcasting and MultiChoice has so far been completely silent about.

It's not yet clear when Boomerang will be changing for South African and African viewers on DStv but it will be sometime early in 2015 says Turner.

The new-look Boomerang launched in September in Latin America and will change in Australia in early November.

Turner says the new Boomerang will include content that include "iconic, beloved cartoons" as well as "acquired regional and local animated favourites".

Turner wants to position Boomerang as a stronger and better brand, as its "second flagship kids brand" after Cartoon Network, and as a "global, all-animation, youth-targeted network, repositioned with a line-up of timeless and contemporary cartoons programmed for family co-viewing".

Turner Broadcasting System International president Gerhard Zeiler says Boomerang will draw on the vast resources of "the world's largest animation library" consisting of Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, Cartoon Network and MGM studios television and theatrical shorts, series and specials, so that Boomerang's schedule will be filled with timeless favourites like Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, The Powerpuff Girls and Scooby-Doo.

As part of the relaunch Boomerang will have a new on-air look and logo and offer "original content on the network across its 13 international feeds".

"The relaunch of Boomerang as a second flagship channel is a testament to its global appeal," says Gerhard Zeiler.

"We are extremely proud to see this channel move into its next incarnation - with a look and feel that conveys its quality and contemporary position. This represents a further step in our strategy to build on the success of our international kids' network," says Gerhard Zeiler.

Turner shuts out TV critics in South Africa as international TBS executives jet in - and then wonders why its not getting the press it wants.

Today Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) had a programming upfront for Turner Africa, but, as it did a programming upfront presentation for new content coming to the Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM channels (with  international Turner executives who specially jetted in to South Africa), a lot of the country's notable TV critics in Durban and Cape Town and journalists writing about television nationally, were shut out.

While competitors like Disney and others hold multiple upfront presentations by repeating the same presentation in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town - or make sure that the relevant right group of longtime press and national publications covering TV are accomodated at their upfronts - the people responsible for Boomerang, Cartoon Network and TCM on MultiChoice's DStv platform couldn't seem to bother.

If they possibly, probably, wonder why they're not getting the press they want, or more of the press, coverage and exposure for their programming on these channels they (presumably) want, that's the very simple reason.

Let me be clear and say that I was invited to today's upfront event. Let me also add that the PR person appeared clueless that I was based in Cape Town although I - like several others who were not invited - write nationally on a daily basis about the TV industry.

I asked several people over the past weeks and I know that other longtime Cape Town based TV critics, writers and publications with their offices in Cape Town, were not invited and didn't know about the upfront presentation.

My guess would be that none of these people are going to be writing about Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM as much during the course of 2014 as they could have or would like to do. That is Turner's fault for not being willing, cognisant or able to do an upfront and do it correctly for all of South Africa's TV covering press (and how really difficult can this be?).

Turner Broadcasting flew in from overseas executives like Tal Hewitt (vice president and general manager for TBS, Turkey, Middle East and Africa), Jemma Yates (director for TBS general entertainment) and Cecilia Persson (vice president acquisitions and co-productions for the EMEA region).

It defies belief and strikes an odd tone that Turner Broadcasting would have its own executives come so very, very far and spend so much money to try and promote its new upcoming programming, but that TBS and its South African public relations company Burson-Marsteller can't then make the final link successfully and actually get all the relevant right press covering its TV channels there.

Or at least do the same programming upfront in Durban and, or in Cape Town like other TV content providers do.

While several other international content and channel distributors who have TV channels in South Africa - from Discovery to BBC Worldwide, from Sony to Universal Networks International and several more - have made the connection and make some effort at actually engaging with relevant press, TV critics and getting them to upfront events, Turner appears asleep at the wheel and behind the times.

Lament the gone-with-the-wind lack of TCM coverage and stories, and the lack of enthusiastic coverage over the next big Scooby-Doo mysteries all you want. 

Its probably because the ordinary South African TV critic and journalist who has so many other TV channels and programming to try and cover and keep track of, can't even be bothered to try and care if the people behind TCM, Boomerang and Cartoon Network seemingly don't.

Boomerang topples the mouse house on DStv, 'regains' its spot as the number one kids TV channel in South Africa.

Wondering how this is going down with the folks over at Disney: Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) says Boomerang (DStv 302) has "regained" its spot as the number one kids TV channel in South Africa.

Turner Broadcasting says Boomerang has been "the number one dedicated kids channel in South Africa for the past 5 consecutive weeks".

"Together with its sister channel, Cartoon Network, it has consistently dominated the top 10 spots when it comes to competitive programmes for kids on DStv in the 4 to 14 year age group category."

Both of these channels attract over 2 million kids to tune in for a period of at least 3 minutes or more per day. "Their audiences reach between 70% to 75% of the total kids audience that watch the DStv children's bouquet on a daily basis," says TBS EMEA.

"Currently Boomerang has a 4,85% share of the kids' channels watched, whilst Cartoon Network comes in with a share of 4,25%." Boomerang launched on DStv in 2005.

"For the past 7 weeks running, Tom & Jerry Tales has been Boomerang's top show, reaching a total of 1,16 million kids. Other shows such as Looney Tunes and Garfield on Boomerang, and Ben 10 and Powerpuff Girls on Cartoon Network prove to be firm favourites among South African kids."

Patricia Hidalgo Turner Broadcasting System's new chief content and creative officer for kids for the EMEA region.

Patricia Hidalgo has taken over as senior vice president and chief content and creative officer for kids for Turner Broadcasting System for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.

Turner Broadcasting System EMEA runs channels such as CNN International, Cartoon Network, Boomerang (and its Cartoonito block) and TCM on pay-TV platforms such as MultiChoice's DStv service in South Africa and Africa.

Patricia Hidalgo worked for The Walt Disney Company EMEA as vice president for content and programming strategy and will now head up Turner Broadcasting System's portfolio of kids content and channel brands in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Patricia Hidalgo will oversee all centrally-funded programming such as acquisitions, co-productions, originals, channel branding and editorial compliance across multiple platforms and formats.

"We are delighted that Patricia is joining us and look forward to the leadership and wealth of creative experience she will bring to a role that sits at the very heart of our kids business," says Peter Flamman, the senior vice president and chief operating officer for the EMEA region and the managing director for the kids division for the EMEA region at Turner in a statement.

"We are particularly impressed by her superb track record of collaborating with diverse local market teams within a global, franchise-led content-centric organisation. That fits in perfectly with Turner's philosophy going forward and will allow us to capitalise upon our strong original content slate including new seasons of Adventure Time and Regular Show from our United States studios and Gumball and LazyTown from EMEA."

TCM turning 20 years old next year not interested in chasing for viewers through programming; can't show every classic movie ever made.

TCM (DStv 137) which will be turning 20 years old next year is actually not interested in getting and chasing viewership for the channel and is not trying to get a broad audience to tune in to the niche channel, Turner Classic Movies revealed at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles.

In a TCM panel discussion, channel executives revealed that the classic movies channel is not trying to change the formulae to attract bigger audiences as it nears its 20th anniversary in April 2014.

"We don't get ratings. We're not even allowed to get ratings," said Charlie Tabesh, the vice president of programming for TCM in America who've been with the channel for 16 years. "We're not trying to reach a broad audience. We're not trying to maximize the demo. We're not trying to get the 18-34, whatever it is. There's none of that that's considered at all."

TCM also explained why it can't show every classic movie ever made. TCM only has the (pre-1986) MGM library, the pre-1950 Warner Bros. library, the entire RKO library and some United Artists and a few MGM films (since the two merged for a while). TCM however doesn't have ownership but has to license the movies along with all other films shown on the channel.

"We can't license every classic movie ever made; financially, it's impossible to do that," said Charlie Tabesh.

BREAKING. Giorgio Stock appointed as president of Turner Broadcasting System for Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

Giorgio Stock has been appointed as president of Turner Broadcasting System for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA), starting from 1 April.

Giorgio Stock will over see Turner Broadcasting System International's entire portfolio of entertainment and kids' networks in this region which means that he will be overall in charge of the channels South African and African viewers see on MultiChoice's DStv like The Cartoon Network, Boomerang, TCM and CNN International.

"Opportunities abound to expand our brands and franchises across both existing and emerging platforms and to build the foundations for new consumer relevant propositions," says Giorgio Stock in a press statement.

Giorgio Stock's appointment and his statement of wanting to expands the Turner brands across existing and emergin platforms, comes as Turner Broadcasting System EMEA pulled its set of Turner channels - Showtime, Silver and Star! from the new TopTV pay-TV service in South Africa without any public explanation.

Turner Broadcasting Systems EMEA is also cutting 30% or 250 people for the EMEA region.